Moortown too strong for Crocs

Old Crossleyans are still seeking their first win of the season following a 35-5 home defeat to Yorkshire Two pacesetters Moortown.

Crocs were forced into changes from the team which fought back encouragingly at Pontefract the previous Saturday. Ryan Sweeney was injured in midweek and Ollie Coyne had to withdraw during the pre-match warm up. Joe Baker made a welcome return after a serious injury two seasons ago.

Moortown combined strength and pace and although Crocs defended doggedly and retained parity until midway through the first half, the visitors built a 15-0 interval lead and added three further tries in the final 10 minutes.

Crocs started promisingly, Gareth Sweeney linking with Baker but he was tackled into touch metres from the try line.

Moortown came back strongly with a series of driving mauls and the pressure told on 22 minutes when turnover ball allowed winger Bobby Taylor to cut inside the defence and touch down under the posts. Dion Fraser converted.

Crocs took a scrum against the head and Lewis Sharp sprinted deep into Moortown territory.

However, the visitors made it 12-0 when the influential Fraser weaved his way through.

Baker scrambled to tidy up effectively after an astute Moortown kick and Crocs pressed from a series of tap penalties but were unable to breach the visitors defence.

Penalties just before and after the interval left Crocs 18-0 down but they struck back on the 58th minute.

A quick tap penalty found Billy Hammond, on as a replacement, who plunged over to make it 18-5.

This heralded a period of Moortown pressure. A driving maul was held up over the line but despite heroic defence, the pressure eventually told late on.

Taylor scored his second try, converted by Fraser, and two minutes later Mark Shires was released by the aerial prowess of Rob Child when the ball took an awkward bounce.

The scoring was completed with a flowing move. Fraser scythed through a tiring defence and found Shires, who claimed his brace of tries in the corner.

Crocs will hope to break their duck at Sheffield Medicals on Saturday.